Creating a Positive Workplace Culture

Creating a positive workplace culture can be enormously beneficial to both your business and workers. A well developed, a positive workplace culture can boost productivity while reducing staff turnover and sick days. A happier team will perform better, get along well and have a stronger sense of loyalty to your business, so it’s definitely something worth investing in.

Here are a few things you can do to improve the atmosphere of your workplace.

Invest in a Safe Workplace

It’s impossible to create a positive environment for your staff if they are at risk of injury or – worse – feel like you couldn’t care less if they were to be injured. It’s crucial to invest time and money into ensuring your workplace is a safe space for all of your employees and to let them know you are doing so. There are many online resources that can provide you with information regarding workplace safety, including the websites of companies that specialise in workplace injury lawsuits, such as Turner Freeman Lawyers .

Show That People Are Important

How many times have you walked into a business and seen a sign that claims “Our people are our most important asset”?

While that might be true in theory, in practice unfortunately, sometimes workers don’t feel this to be the case. It is enough for an organisation to say people matter, it’s what they do and don’t do that speaks louder than (empty) statements.

Since employees (staff) are the first impression a customer gets of you as an organisation, you need to make sure you make that first all-important impression count. Un or under-appreciated employees are the worst (anti) marketing and sales strategy you can deploy.

Encourage Communication

It’s important for management to communicate with staff and for staff to talk to each other. Positive communication in the workplace engenders a feeling of belonging and wellbeing. If changes have to be made, don’t just tell others; issue the advice with an opportunity for staff to comment and suggest alternatives.

Acknowledge Feedback

Once you’ve established a system that enables feedback, make sure you do something with it. A system that encourages staff comments but has no avenue for action will soon be seen for what it is: a device to make workers think you care. If you ask for feedback or other input, make sure you listen, acknowledge it and respond with action.

Show Staff You Care

A little appreciation goes a long way. If you expect people to work hard for you, they in turn are entitled to an acknowledgement you understand what they do each day. There is no need to throw lavish ‘thank you’ parties each month (unless they are genuine and authentic), but little gestures like awards and internal communications can mean a lot to a hard worker. Even the odd informal ‘thanks for your work’ as you pass their desk every now and then will have an enormously positive effect on a worker’s output.

A happy worker is a productive worker, and nothing can make a workplace more positive than a culture that acknowledges and rewards effort, encourages open and positive communication, and has bosses who really care. Building a positive workplace culture not only sends the workers home happier and healthier, it also brings in many benefits to the employer via a staff that is actually concerned about the success of the business. It may take a bit of effort to get the system perfect, but it will be well worth it in the long run.

All of this will appear as total B.S. if it’s not genuine and sincere. Employees have become all-t00-aware of the superficial band aids managers use to appease their teams. An authentic (real) leader knows what’s important to his or her team and makes sure those motivational factors are present and adhered to. Assigning “employee of the month” awards on a rotating basis is one simple example. If the same employee deserves to win 2, 3, 4 or even 10 months in a row – give it to him or her. That will send a CLEAR MESSAGE to the others. If NO ONE deserves it, SKIP a month to make the point!